A Night To Remember For All The Wrong Reasons
by MaiWad
Summary: Ruby, Belle, Aurora and Mulan have been planning a big girls night out for weeks. But will all go as planned? Eventual Red Beauty and Sleeping Warrior. Rated T for strong language and sexual references.
1. Chapter 1: Pre-Drama

"Tonight is going to be totally _awesome!_"

Midafternoon on Friday, Ruby, Belle, Aurora and Mulan were incredibly enthusiastic for their big night out in town. They were going to 'bombard' -as Ruby put it- 'the biggest and most famous club in the entire world.' Ruby had been planning the night for around four weeks, and had been non-stop talking about it since.

"Yeah, you said that already!" exclaimed Aurora, with a grin on her face.

"Sorry, guys, I'm just really excited," beamed Ruby. "It's gonna be a night we'll remember for years to come."

At their regular table at Granny's, each girl sipped on a fancy glass of iced tea- a drink that Belle had introduced to the group. They were known to be 'the noisy ones' at the diner, usually for their constant uncontrollable laughter.

"What are you going to wear?" Aurora asked, turning to Mulan.

Mulan's cheeks reddened. "I… I don't know yet. Probably something casual, I guess."

"Are you fucking kidding me, right now?" Ruby slammed her glass down on the table, almost smashing it in the process. "Go wild; or go home, girl! Besides, it's probably Aurora's last night out before her baby pops out, and then it's goodbye nightlife, hello motherhood."

Aurora had announced her pregnancy just a few weeks ago, so the girls were having one last night out to celebrate. Of course, it had to be bigger, and better than ever.

"If you're going to wear makeup, wear winged eyeliner to bring out your eyes," suggested Aurora. "Seriously, you'd look smoking hot."

Mulan smiled shyly. On the occasion that Aurora paid any slight attention to her, it made butterflies spawn in her stomach.

"So, what time are we meeting again?" pondered Belle. "Eight thirty?"

"_Nine_ thirty," corrected Ruby, rolling her eyes. "God, Belle. You'd forget your head if I wasn't around."

Belle shook her head. "Thank God you're here, then," she said sarcastically.

"What would you ever do without me? Actually, what would you _all _do without me? I'm sophisticated, sexy, and organized."

"Sure. That explains why you were late for your shift earlier," noted Aurora. Belle and Mulan snorted.

Ruby shot them all a look. "Shut up. Geez. Need I remind you that drinks are on me tonight?"

"And I have a feeling taxi money will be on me if you drink so much you forget your own name like last time. Remember?" said Belle.

"That wasn't me," claimed Ruby.

"Uh, yes it was," agreed Aurora. "You kept on calling me Marianne, and trying to squeeze my boobs."

"Fair enough. But that was years ago." Ruby attempted to brush away the subject.

"Three months, actually," said Mulan.

"Guys, can we just drop it?" Ruby snapped. "Let's talk boys. Ladies, how many men do you think I shall be able to hook up with tonight?"

"None." The three replied in unison, resulting in sniggers.

"Wow, you all have _such_ optimism. It's my one free night in forever, yet none of you are looking forward to it."

"We _are,_" replied Belle. "We just can't wait to see you puke your lungs out, film it, and put it on YouTube!"

"Sometimes I wonder why I'm friends with you people."

"Can't I just wear jeans?" Mulan changed the subject. "I mean, I look no good in a dress."

"Don't be ridiculous," said Aurora. "How are you supposed to get laid in jeans?"

"Maybe I don't want to get laid."

"Show off those legs, girl!" smirked Ruby.

"Maybe I don't want to show off my legs," said Mulan.

"Let Mulan wear what she wants," interrupted Belle. "Tonight's about celebrating, not arguing about what someone wants to wear. As long as she's comfortable, everything's fine."

Thanking Belle, Mulan nodded and smiled towards her. Once they made eye contact, Belle returned the smile.

"So, Ruby. Is Dr. Whale still creeping on you?" asked Aurora.

"He tried to persuade me to come home with him last night, when I was walking home," explained Ruby. "I sent him packing, though. Gotta admit though- it is quite fun being eye candy. Even if it is for middle aged creeps."

"You're such an attention whore," stated Aurora, absentmindedly twirling a strand of her auburn curls.

"Whatever," said Ruby.

Sensing a little tension in the air, Belle stood, and picked up her near empty glass of iced tea. "Who's for another round?"

"Not me, the stuff is foul," said Ruby.

"What? I thought you liked it." By the tone of her voice, Belle almost seemed offended that Ruby didn't like the taste of her favorite drink.

"That was three glasses ago. I don't understand how you live on the stuff."

Though she knew it had been said lightly, Belle couldn't help but feel slightly offended by Ruby's spiteful comments recently. Perhaps it was just showing off, or rather just a different side to her friend's personality.

After looking at her watch, Aurora was next to stand. "I've gotta go guys."

Shouts of "Really?" "Already?" "You just got here!" were immediately spouted.

"Sorry, guys, but I'll see you tonight." Without so much of a goodbye, Aurora had left.

"Well, that was weird," uttered Belle.

"It's Aurora, what do you expect?" said Ruby.

* * *

Alone in her apartment at 8pm, Mulan was carefully applying eyeliner to her eyes when her phone buzzed from across the room. Curious on who could be calling her at the time; she scampered across the room to where it was charging. Butterflies reappeared in her stomach when she saw the caller ID. Since she was only wearing a thin bathrobe, she felt bare and on instinct attempted to cover herself up when she answered. "Hello?"

"Mulan," Aurora's voice was wheezy and barely audible. Although, she seemed grateful that Mulan had answered her call. "I- I don't think I'll be able to make it tonight."

"What?" Mulan couldn't hide her confusion. "Why not?"

"I just don't feel up to it." The more she talked, the more it sounded like an excuse.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm great. I'll talk to you soon, ok?"

"Hey, if you just feel like having a girl night in, I could come over. We could order pizza, watch a few chick flicks…"

"Honestly, Mulan, I just want to sleep at the moment. I seriously love you for caring, though."

"Ok, then. Talk to you soon."

Like always, Aurora hung up first. Mulan snapped her cell shut, then placed it back on the table. She returned to her mirror, picked up some makeup wipes, before starting to remove the eyeliner. There was nobody to impress, as well as no reason to impress anyone at the club anymore. The only person she was really looking forward to seeing tonight didn't want to see her at all. Sure, Mulan understood that her best friend was without a doubt hurt for an unknown reason, but wanted to be left alone. Still, she wished she could do something to make her feel better.


	2. Chapter 2: The Night Begins

"Hey, it's me, again. I know you may not want to talk to anyone at the moment, but I just want you to know that I'm here for you. Please call me as soon as you get this. Even if you just want to vent, you can trust me with anything."

Mulan had just left a third voicemail for Aurora. Hopefully it didn't seem too frantic, though Mulan was seriously concerned for Aurora's safety. What if something horrible had happened to her? Wincing at the very thought, Mulan picked up her phone again, and began to dial when Ruby's name flashed upon her screen. Reluctant, she answered. "Hello?"

"Where the hell are you? It's 9:35." Ruby's voice barked on the other end.

_Shit. _Mulan had completely lost track of time. She examined herself. She was still in her bathrobe, while her hair was soaking wet in a towel. Freaking out, Mulan struggled to think up a lie. "I'm just running a little late, that's all."

"Less talking, more moving, then! God, Aurora already cancelled on us, I don't want another girl turning us down."

"Did she say why she had to cancel?" Mulan didn't want to appear over-concerned about Aurora, but her immediate response clearly gave it away.

"Just said she wasn't up for it. She's such a partypooper. I bet she's tucked up in bed now watching Desperate Housewives, or something, bingeing on a mega box of chocolates. Ugh, I'm starving. Could you pick up some fries for me on your way?"

"Ruby, I'm _not_ bringing fries to a nightclub."

"Fine, forget it. You suck. See you in a few."

After Ruby hung up, Mulan realized that she could have wriggled out of going to the stupid nightclub the second she picked up the phone. Instead, she had only gone and told Ruby that she was running late. Cursing at herself, Mulan dropped her phone back on the table, and hurriedly continued to get ready.

* * *

Mulan arrived at the nightclub at a fashionably late time of 10:15. It didn't have the most glamorous of locations, for it was in the middle of nowhere and frankly, the area had a strange scent of fish. The club itself wasn't so much mind-blowing, not a place you would be made speechless of when passing. It was an old building, seeming pretty rundown. Although, according to Ruby it was 'the hottest club in town.' Of course, as proved on several occasions, Ruby was _always_ right.

After passing the bouncer, then entering the club, the casual girl immediately felt out of place. She was wearing a plain black dress with little sequins or bows like the many other girls around her, complete with black leggings and two inch heel boots. A matching bag was over her shoulder, which merely contained her purse, cell phone and keys. On first sight, she had expected the club to be pretty empty. It was clear she had been proven wrong. She couldn't help but feel anxious nearby the hundreds around her. As per usual, loneliness was her best friend.

Vibrations of the booming music made the whole room shake. Purple spotlights beamed from every corner, blinding Mulan every so often. Every girl seemed to look the same when Mulan began the search for her friends. Just by the look of some of their faces, she knew that some were definitely not twenty-one. Maybe it was their lack of decent clothing that got them past the bouncer. Thankful, Mulan's worries flew away when she spotted Ruby and Belle at the bar. Belle spotted her first, then called her over.

Belle looked both sexy and striking in a purple tight-fitting tube top and a plastic looking skirt that barely covered her rear. Tights, ridiculously high heels and a messy bun finished her look.

On the other hand, Ruby also stood out for being quite eye-catching. A sleeveless alarmingly red dress exposed cleavage. Her straight hair was loose, donning its usual red streaks of color. Unsurprisingly, Ruby's heels were a few inches taller than Belle's.

Once she had taken a huge glug of her drink, a wide tooth grin spread upon Ruby's face as Mulan approached. "Mulie!" she exclaimed, immediately grasping her friend and giving her a bear hug.

All the while, Mulan looked baffled. "Is she drunk already?"

"We may have had a few shots," slurred Belle.

"You look beautiful!" cried Ruby, when the hug ended. "Your makeup- wow!"

"I'm not wearing any makeup," said Mulan.

"You know what else is beautiful? Lemons. Lemons are beautiful."

Mulan and Belle exchanged glances.

"When life gives you lemons… uh… eat them!" Ruby stood, almost losing her balance as she did. "I may have to go visit the lemon throne! By that, I mean the restroom."

Judging by her failure to walk a few steps away from the bar without tripping in the process, Mulan guessed that Ruby had definitely had more than 'a few' shots.

When she was out of earshot, Belle turned to Mulan. "If that's her at quarter past ten, I can't wait to see her on the way home."

Mulan laughed, before gradually looking down at her feet.

"Are you OK?" asked Belle. "Sorry, it's just… you seem a bit down."

"How can you tell?" Mulan wondered.

"I just can. Your eyes, they seem distracted. Like you laughed then, but not all of you was laughing. And body language. You absentmindedly look away whenever anyone talks to you. In short, you don't really want to be here."

"I do," protested Mulan.

"No, you don't."

Mulan sighed. "I guess I don't. Belle, how do you do that?"

"I'm quite an expert at reading people. I also know the reason why you don't want to be here, and where you'd rather be."

Knowing what she was going to say, Mulan just shook her head in denial. "I'm fine, Belle. Honestly."

Belle chuckled. "Ok, I believe you." The tone of her voice suggested that she didn't 100% believe her.

"If you want to distract yourself, you know how, right?"

"How?"

"Drinks are on Ruby tonight. Get drunk, live tonight, worry tomorrow. It's exactly what I'm going to do."

"Thanks."

"Any time. Just to assure you, I'm certain our little 'Rora is fine, anyhow."

Ruby staggered back to the pair, waving her arms around as if they were going to fall off. "What are you just standing there for? Let's dance!"

"I'll pass," said Mulan. "But Belle would be honored."

Ruby beamed at Belle, while Belle glared at Mulan. She gave her a look which basically read _'I- cheer-you-up-and-this-is-how-you-repay-me?'_ Before Belle could argue, Ruby pulled her towards the dancefloor. Straight away, Mulan turned to the bartender and ordered a vodka and coke. It was going to be a long night, so she thought no other reason but to try to enjoy it. Even if that meant drinking the night away.

* * *

"Did you know that lemons have enough power to work a small digital watch? Fascinating, right?"

Uncomfortable, the man who Ruby was attempting to chat up slowly slid away from her.

"Call me!" shrieked Ruby, despite the fact no numbers had been exchanged.

Belle approached her drunken friend. "Sweetie-"

"Hello my little Bellie Baby!" Ruby gave her friend a bear hug. Her grasp was tight, squeezing Belle close. "Where have you _been?_"

"I was in the restroom with you, before I went into a stall, and later discovered you had gone."

"You're so obnoxious!" Ruby released Belle, and scrunched her face. "Learn to let it go!"

Rolling her eyes, Belle knew there was no use to argue with Ruby when she was drunk.

Amongst giggles, Ruby extended her hands towards Belle's breasts. "Let me squeeze your lemons," she whispered in a low, seductive voice.

Belle slapped Ruby's hands away. "Inappropriate."

"Come on! Live a little." Ruby tried again, but Belle stopped her for the second time.

"I'm welcome to help you to get laid, but you won't be getting lucky with me tonight."

Ruby pulled a fake pouty face. She then looked to the sky, placing a finger to her chin, in consideration. "Fine. But first, let's hit the bar. I want to see if they have any lemonade. With extra lemon."


	3. Chapter 3: Reassurance

**A/N: This chapter is dedicated to my absolute best friend Megan. Slight resemblance to our relationship can be seen in this chapter, as it was a small inspiration for it. Just like the two mains focused on in this chapter say, I literally do not know what I would do without her. **

* * *

Nauseous from the hyperactive energetic vibe from the club, Mulan had decided to hide away in the restroom for a while. She plopped her bag down near a sink, searching for her cell phone. After taking a brief look at her uneasy self in the mirror, she began to dial Aurora's number. Mulan hadn't been able to get her out of her mind all night, concluding to the worst possibilities. Death? Rape? Who knew what had happened? For a moment, Mulan felt like she was going to vomit into the sink.

Aurora had no idea just how much she meant to her. Without a second thought, she pressed call.

A ringtone coming from one of the stalls startled Mulan. Strangely, she felt familiar with its pop song, yet there was no reason to, as all modern songs to her sounded the same. It took a second for her to realize just how she recognized it.

Ending the call, Mulan knocked on the stall it was coming from. "Aurora?"

She heard a small whimper, then tried knocking again, but made the door open ajar. She pushed the door open to find Aurora squished into the left-hand corner between the toilet and the wall. Cheeks wet with tears, and a half-full glass of coke in her hand, it was everything Mulan's mind had been fearful about.

"Oh, my God," gasped Mulan. "What happened?"

Although it was a struggle, Mulan helped Aurora to her feet. Momentarily, it looked like Aurora was going to fall down again, but Mulan clutched her arm and placed a firm hand on her back just in time. Aurora was wearing the exact same outfit she was wearing at the diner, a lilac shirt with matching pants, and her hair was loose over her shoulders. She tried to speak, however her words were held back by tears each time.

Not knowing what else to do, Mulan just pulled in Aurora for a hug, which she definitely deserved. The embrace lasted for a while; Aurora squeezing her eyes, trying to stop her tears, ultimately resulting in more flowing out. Neither ever wanted to let go.

They finally pulled away at the same time. "I'm a mess, right now." Aurora managed to speak.

"No, you're not," assured Mulan. "Everybody's allowed to get upset sometimes. You're not any different. Do you want to tell me what happened?"

Aurora nodded. "I… I fucked up. Big time."

"Surely, it's not the end of the world."

"It is, though. For me, it is."

Mulan bit her lip. She couldn't bear to see Aurora like this. But then she became distracted. "Is there alcohol in this?" Snatching the drink, she took a whiff. "Jesus, Aurora. I know you're upset, and all, yet this doesn't solve anything. You're pregnant, for Christ's sake."

"I'm not."

"What?"

"Pregnant. I'm not."

Taken aback, Mulan blinked blankly. "What do you mean you're not?"

"I told you guys before I took the test. I was so sure I was though. All the signs… Sore boobs, cravings. My exact words to you guys were 'I may or may not be pregnant.' Clearly, you all took it the wrong way."

Now that she thought about it, Mulan did remember the 'may or may not' part, though she had overlooked it at the time as she was so over the moon about the whole thing. However, later in the day, she realized that now that Aurora was going to be a mother, she had to store old feelings away and move on with her life. Lacking consent, a selfish thought entered Mulan's mind.

Vulnerable as can be, Aurora was drunk and was unlikely to remember anything in the morning. How easy would it be for Mulan to take the plunge right now, take control of her own life for once? Chances were that Aurora would dive into it. Desperate for love, lust and all things Mulan craved. A one night stand that could lead into something much bigger, better, beautiful. Taking the plunge would be a brave and daring decision. Was it one that Mulan was going to take?

"I'm… so sorry," said Mulan.

Giving a sad smile, Aurora wiped fresh tears from her eyes. "Everything's great, you know? I never really wanted to be a mother anyway, so…" Judging by the way her voice trailed off, it was certain that being a mother was, and always had been, Aurora's dream.

Aurora had always been the motherly figure of the group. The one who told you when you were making a mistake; the one who was prissy and required respect. When passing a baby shop, she always stopped and looked at all the cute little dresses in the window. Destined to have a child, Mulan knew that if Aurora truly did not want to have a baby, she wouldn't be drunk at a nightclub, crying her eyes out.

Guilt drowned Mulan's thoughts, until they were nothing but washed away, useless concepts. Here was her best friend, who was in need of nothing more than a best friend. Lost in the world, Aurora had absolutely no idea what she was going to do with her life. She had a brief flicker of hope, but it was a flicker nonetheless. Though Mulan's world was too upside down, her feelings of affection had to be hidden for now, as Aurora needed her. She needed a shoulder to cry on, and if that was all Mulan was wanted for, that was good enough for her. Mulan wasn't going to throw their amazing friendship away for the sake of her own self-regarding reasons.

"You can keep trying," Mulan suggested. "It's rare that every first attempt is successful."

"No, you don't understand. We have been trying for months. Yet every single time, there's no such luck."

Discussing Aurora's sex life wasn't exactly to Mulan's taste. She had to stop herself from frowning in disgust.

Aurora's mouth wobbled before she could say the words: "I think there's something wrong with me. Like, I can't… have children."

"You don't know that for sure."

"It's a possibility, though, right?"

"One of the many possibilities. There are tons of reasonable explanations. Don't beat yourself up over what may not even be the right one. Focus on the positives."

"I've been trying to focus on the positives, Mulan!" Aurora was now screaming at her, overpowering the thudding of the music next door. "Except everything just keeps coming up negative. Like my tests!"

Aurora looked away from Mulan, unable to look her in the eye. She felt herself burning up, both in anger and embarrassment. There was an unbreakable silence for minutes. In an attempt of comfort, Mulan began stroking Aurora's arm. Aurora flinched at first, then allowed her to continue.

"I know things don't seem easy at the moment," Mulan barely whispered. "But I promise that things will get better soon."

"How do you know?" Aurora looked directly into Mulan's eyes, questioning her almost intimidatingly; while she was on the verge of breaking down yet again.

"I may not be able to see the future. But I know that while life may bring you down, it always has a way of bringing you back up where you belong. It's a rollercoaster. You might as well stay on for the whole ride."

Deep in thought for a while, Aurora's eyes dropped to the floor. Considering Mulan's answer, she then turned back to her best friend and gradually gave her a lasting smile. Her eyes were still spilling with water, but she seemed genuinely touched by the words. Something about them just imprinted the phrases on her heart, like a tattoo. It sincerely was life advice.

"I honestly don't know what I'd do without you." Aurora finally said.

Mulan smiled, and tried her hardest to not tear up. "Neither do I."

"Still; you wouldn't mind if I got totally hammered tonight, would you?"

"I might actually join you."

"Ok, well- I'm going to head to the bar and order us two vodkas, and some shots. See you in a minute."

The second Aurora left, Mulan could feel her heart dropping to her stomach. The words  
"I honestly don't know what I'd do without you." circled rapidly throughout her mind. What Mulan almost did in that restroom could have destroyed their friendship forever. After that, would Aurora still have said those nine words? Or would they have been along the lines of 'I never want to see your face ever again.'?

Picking up her bag, it almost felt like the room was spinning, yet Mulan was mostly sober. The advice she had given Aurora had poured out of her mouth like vomit, word vomit. Unable to control, or stop, but it seemed like it had worked. She had also given herself some advice, along the way. Life was a rollercoaster, all right. But so was love, and heartbreak. Sometimes, she wanted to get off the ride. Even if she had to jump a thousand feet from the air, and break her leg along the way.


	4. Chapter 4: Wrong End Of The Stick

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. I've been busy over the last few weeks!**

A slow song now gently played through the speakers. It had changed the atmosphere more or less completely. Tipsy couples around the room swayed gently to the beat, the occasional drops of wine sloppily being splashed over the floor. The song wasn't old, but it had the vibe of a classic.

Taking a break from the world of the party mobsters for a while, Ruby sat alone in a booth, staring ahead, distracted by the music. Actually, it was Belle who had forced her to take a break. The second the song had switched from a fast paced pop song to a slow paced melody, Ruby was fully prepared to wrestle the DJ.

"Who in God's name requested this shit?" she had shouted at the ceiling. She had staggered around the room, waggling her finger in her fellow partiers' faces in accusation. "Was it you? Was it you? I bet it was you, wasn't it?!"

Before she could trouble the people any further, Belle had stepped in and told her to take a five minute break. Handing her a glass of water, Belle told her that once the song was over, she could return to the dancefloor. Reluctantly, Ruby had accepted the deal.

Thus far, Ruby had decided that the slow song wasn't so bad after all. Not that she was a music critic, or anything, but the song wasn't unbearable. She tended to listen to songs that were about getting high, or drunk, and having a good time, rather than songs with deep meaning. It was different, to say the least.

"Bet your eardrums are bleeding, right now,"

Belle appeared from out of nowhere. She rested her hand upon the table, and shifted her weight against the edge of it. "How are you holding up?"

There were a few seconds silence, until Ruby replied, "Couples suck," Her eyes focused on the number of happy couples, still grinning wide at each other, joyfully and drunkenly. It seemed like she couldn't have one without the other. Most of the time she faked her happiness. The only time she truly was happy was when the alcohol took over her system. It was nice to get away from her life for a while, and almost be a different person. Sober Ruby was plain. Intoxicated Ruby was juicy, and delicious. Watching the happy couples made Ruby reconsider her thoughts. She was still drunk, but she certainly wasn't jumping for joy.

One guy sneakily tried to grab his girlfriend's ass, but instead received a stern look, and a hard slap. As the girl stormed away, Ruby referred her attention back to Belle. "Guys are douches."

"Tell me about it," said Belle, slipping across from Ruby into the booth. She took a large sip from her white wine. "They only want two things. Boobs and ass."

"That's _three_ things."

Belle smirked. "I suppose it is. Nevertheless, the point still stands. It's like I don't even have a personality. They're not interested in me unless I'm half-or fully-naked."

"It's the classic Halloween party scenario. Two years ago, I was a sexy nurse. I got my ass grabbed six times, and three phone numbers. Last year, I was a pumpkin. Guess how many times my ass got grabbed? Kaput."

"You got a phone number, though, right?"

"Don't remind me," Ruby scoffed. "Dr. Whale. 'Unzip that costume, and let that pumpkin juice flow.'" She shuddered.

"They keep telling me I just haven't found the right guy yet," said Belle. "I'm not sure the right guy exists."

"People are always spewing crap, like 'You'll meet the one. It's fate.' Screw fate. I'd rather stick to one night stands than be stuck in a dumb old marriage."

"Marriage is lame!" Belle declared, slamming her drained glass on the table. "Why should I wake up next to the same man every morning, when I could wake up next to a hot Mexican who works out daily? A guy with a tattoo in a very specific area? Hell, a girl with jumbo sized boobs?"

Taken aback, Ruby could feel herself burning up. She prayed that Belle wouldn't notice. "_What?_" she said involuntarily.

"You heard me. I'd bang anyone."

_Get a grip,_ Ruby told herself. _She's drunk, and doesn't know what she's saying. _She worked up a small smile. "Me too," she concurred. They clinked their glasses together.

"Forget couples! Belle and Ruby are in town," Belle took another swig of her wine. After she finished, she slammed her hands down on the table, stood, and leaned in close to Ruby. So close, that Ruby had to scold herself for her subconscious frame of mind. Their eye contact was steel, unbreakable. Belle's voice hushed to a faint, seductive whisper. "And we're here to make a night that you'll remember."

While Belle sunk back into her seat, Ruby felt her cheeks. Just as she feared, they were burning. "It's hot in here, isn't it?" she lied, pretending to fan herself.

"Totally," grinned Belle, in a seductive tone.

Belle looked Ruby up and down, examining. Self-conscious, Ruby wrapped her arms around herself.

"Say," Belle began. She gritted her teeth, then put her long manicured fingernail in her mouth, in consideration. "How about we make some memories tonight?"

Ruby's eyes widened. Was Belle seriously suggesting what she thought she was suggesting? Speechless, she struggled to think of a reply.

"No better time than the present, right?" Belle gave Ruby a large smile.

Ruby nodded in agreement. Sure, she was up for it. It was the fact that it was _Belle_ engaging her for it, not the other way around. For years, Ruby had been trying to build up the courage to confess her feelings for Belle. Feelings that she had been trying to convince herself weren't real. But now, that there was an opportunity to open up, and actually _make some memories_ with this girl. The whole thing was so sudden that Ruby was baffled by the whole thing.

Slipping out of the booth, Belle stood and extended her hand towards Ruby. "It's now or never, baby," she breathed.

Ruby finally allowed herself to smile. She was ready. Confidently, she grasped Belle's hand. Belle pulled her to her feet, and then began to lead her towards a quieter part of the club. The slow song had changed into something more Rubyesque, but she didn't care. The noise around her didn't matter anymore; all Ruby's attention was on Belle.

When they stopped, Belle's grin was wide. Her eyes were full of light, and screamed excitement. "Wait here," she said, before disappearing into the crowd.

_This is it._ Ruby thought to herself. _Don't screw this up now._

Barely thirty seconds had passed when Belle returned. Ruby's smile faded. She wasn't alone.

"Ruby, meet Billy. Billy, meet Ruby," chirped Belle. "Now, Rubes, Billy here doesn't want to be in a committed relationship. He's sick of all the complications, and whatnot, of having a girlfriend. Tonight he's looking for a simple one night stand, with no phone number exchanges, no 'why didn't you call me back?' nonsense, _nothing. _How awesome is that?"

Ruby bit her lip. Billy wasn't ugly- in fact, if Belle wasn't in the picture, he would be the guy Ruby would go for. She had got completely the wrong idea. Of course, Belle wasn't going to get with her tonight, or ever, for that matter. It was obvious that Belle was straight, and had no interest with sleeping with her. What was she thinking? That Belle suddenly was in love with her, or something? It was never going to happen, simple as. Ruby couldn't believe just how dumb she had been.

The only way out of this was to put on a brave face, to carry on. She gave her most genuine smile to both Belle and Billy. "It's pretty awesome."

Belle squealed. "I knew you'd love him!" She turned to Billy. "See, I told you she'd love you!"

Billy awkwardly shifted his eyes from Belle to Ruby, giving her a nervous grin. It was clear he was uncomfortable with Belle's drunkenness.

"Now, I'll leave you two lovebirds alone," said Belle, taking a couple of steps backwards. She nearly stumbled on a small platform, but managed to keep upright. "Play dirty, you filthy animals!" she called back to them, as she walked away.

"I, uh, hear the dumpster outside is a great place for privacy," said Billy.

"Lead the way," said Ruby, half-heartedly.

Sure, it wasn't Billy's fault that she had got the wrong idea about what Belle was implying. Her mind had created her own fantasy of living happily ever after with Belle, ignoring the reality. She had to get her head out of her ass. Belle wasn't in love with her, and that wasn't going to change. People had had their hearts broken before, and what did they do? Move on. That was what she needed to do. Get over the girl who she would never get to be with. Convince herself that there was no real future for either of them whatsoever. No one night stand, no lasting relationship. It wouldn't be so hard, would it? All she had to do was to follow Belle's advice. Screw relationships, screw marriage, screw feelings. Make sex just be sex, and don't get attached too easily. That was what she had been doing wrong. Being so attached to Belle had prevented her from having fun, doing what she actually wanted to do. She had missed out on so much, just because of some dumb girl.

_No more,_ she told herself. _The Past Pouting Ruby is gone for good, and the New Racy Ruby is here to stay. _

And the New Ruby was sexy, seductive, and cold as ice. Manipulation was her middle name. Nothing could stand in her way. She had been holding herself back for so long. It was time for the real Ruby Lucas to run free.


	5. Chapter 5: Mutual Attraction

Desperate to get as drunk and distant as possible, Mulan chugged down her third shot of whiskey. Queasy, she belched. A sick feeling came on, and she covered her mouth with a hand, squeezing her eyes shut. Maybe that was one shot too many.

The barmaid took the empty shot glass. She had cropped chocolate hair, heavy eyeliner and looked around Mulan's age. "Steady yourself, champ. Unless you plan on vomiting all over me and my work area, I suggest you excuse yourself to the restroom."

Mulan waved her hand away, blinking her eyes open. "I'm good."

"You don't look so good. Where's your friend? She was pretty hot stuff."

Mulan shrugged. Aurora was probably somewhere on the dancefloor. To be honest, Mulan didn't know exactly where Aurora was. Not that she didn't care, however she was focusing on getting hammered more than anything.

"Are you ok?" the barmaid asked, seemingly concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I told you."

"No, I mean, you look… sad."

Mulan narrowed her eyes. "Sad?"

"You look down in the dumps. Something getting you down?"

"No," lied Mulan. She had no reason to reveal out all of her feelings to a random stranger.

"You're supposed to tell your barman your troubles. Come on, it might make you feel better."

Maybe it was the third shot. Maybe it was the nostalgia. Nonetheless Mulan suddenly found herself telling the stranger everything she had been feeling for the past few years. Absolutely everything.

"Guys noticed me… but I never felt a connection. Not with anybody but her. She was just so… what's the word…" Mulan took a sip of the martini that the barmaid had given her on the house. She made a face at its tang. "Immaculate. I mean, she was just too immaculate, if you know what I mean…" She trailed off, and gave the barmaid a little wink. "She never let her hair down. She should embrace her inner sex goddess."

Strangely, the barmaid actually seemed intrigued. "So, she was always that little bit too perfect?"

"Yes! Thank you, Ruby."

"My name's not Ruby, it's-"

"Like, I like sluts." Mulan interrupted. "Sluts aren't afraid of being too slutty. Her? Pfft. She was a total virgin."

"But I thought you said she was trying to get pregnant-"

"Girls are dumb. Guys are dumb. You're dumb. I'm dumb. Everybody's dumb."

"That I can agree on." The barmaid concurred. "Want another drink?" she added, pointing to the near neglected martini.

"Got anything stronger?" asked Mulan.

"We do, but right now I'm gonna have to serve you a water."

"_Why?_" Mulan's voice reminded the barmaid of a five year olds whine when it was time to go home from some birthday party.

"Because water will prevent you from having a hangover tomorrow. Trust me, it works."

Mulan considered. "Fine. One glass, then I'd like a shot. And then a bucket for my puke, after the shot."

"Deal." The barmaid said.

* * *

Nursing the water, Mulan was coming to the life rethinking part of her drunkenness. "I'm ugly," she said to nobody in particular.

The barmaid overheard, and returned to her newly favorite customer. "No, you're not," she assured her.

"I am. That's why Aurora doesn't love me. Even with a shit ton of makeup, I look hideous."

"Stop bringing yourself down. I barely met you half an hour ago, and I already think you're pretty damn awesome."

A smile crept onto Mulan's face. "You think so?"

"I know so. Generally, I'm a good judge of character. Once, my sister had this new boyfriend, and I got a bad vibe off him. Two weeks later, he was caught in bed with her best friend."

"Whoa," was all Mulan could say.

"I trust my instincts. So far, I see no flaws in you, and you give off a good vibe. True, you may be drunk, miserable and alone, but you seem like a good person. So here's my advice. If you see something you like, you've gotta grab it. Because one day, if you don't, you're going to regret it for the rest of your life."

Things were a haze for Mulan, but she had understood exactly what the barmaid was saying. Instead of just sitting at the bar sulking about her life, she had to do something about it. Sitting around wasn't going to achieve anything. What happened in her life was through her control. Nobody owned her. Being herself was difficult, yet there was a way to change how she lived her life. To make an impact of what happened around her, rather than just waiting for the right people to approach her and make the change for her. Bravery was a must. She had to be fearless, to have courage. Hiding away in the shadows hadn't made her life any easy. Being out in the open was going to change everything.

* * *

It had been twenty minutes since Belle had left Ruby with Billy. She was proud of her matchmaking. Billy and Ruby would get on like a house on fire. A one night stand was just what Ruby needed. Though the pang in Belle's chest told the opposite of proud. Jealousy? Surely not. Why would she feel jealous towards Ruby? Billy was an alright guy, but totally not Belle's type. Unless…

No. Surely not. She couldn't be.

A strange sensation ran through Belle's body. Butterflies fluttered throughout her stomach. The flashing lights and deafening music closed in around her. The hot thick air clogged her throat. Claustrophobic, she knew she needed space. And fast.

The line for the restroom was at least a mile long, so that was out of the question. She ran towards the exit, pushing people out of the way with barely even an 'excuse me' or 'sorry.' Manners were the least of her worries as the anxiety and panic ran through her veins.

The second she reached the outside world she began to hyperventilate pathetically. Her hand clutched her chest while she coughed violently. The fear had left her out of breath. At least she was alone now.

Looking around, she realized that she was in an alleyway. The lighting was dim, with street lamps being the only source of light around. Her brain scrambled, she struggled to remember her thoughts just minutes ago. Jealousy. Ruby. Feelings. Everything was jumbled.

She took a deep breath. Times like this she longed for the comfort of her favorite blanket Booboo, from her childhood. The blankie had always helped to calm her down. Booboo was lost somewhere in storage, most likely in her attic. Just thinking of Booboo sort of helped calm her nerves. She figured it was because of the sentimental memories the blanket carried. Drinking hot cocoa with her Mom after Kindergarten; watching home movies with her Dad; playing with her little grey kitty Popcorn in her bedroom. Old memories tended to sooth her.

_Enough about the past,_ she thought to herself. _Time to face the present._

She closed her eyes. She had always been so sure of herself. Belle French, bookworm. Smart, easy going and kind. But now, she wasn't so sure of herself. Who was she? All her life she had been certain on her sexuality. It was 100% guys all the way. She stalked the hot, popular guys in school when she was the dorky kid with little friends. On TV, she would point out the hunks and proclaim 'I would.' 'I would' was a little game the four girls played. If you saw a hot guy, and you would totally bang him given the opportunity, you would have to say 'I would.'

Belle had noticed that as of late, 'I would' hadn't really been played as often. The last time was well over a month ago, when Aurora jokingly said 'I would' when Mulan walked into the room wearing a penguin costume for a charity fun run. Maybe the disappearance of 'I would' meant that the girls were growing up. Although, they weren't the most mature of girls anyway, especially when drunk.

Up the alleyway, Belle heard the faintest sob. Curious, she began to walk towards the place. Dumpsters sat in front of her. Behind the dumpsters was a fragile figure, a hand over their face, weeping. Her knees were tucked into her chest, a cigarette lit in her free hand.

"Ruby?" Belle asked, worried.

Immediately, Ruby's head snapped up. Embarrassed, she wiped the tears from her eyes and sniffed. "Hey. What are you doing back here?"

"The better question is what are _you_ doing back here? Where's Billy?" Belle's eyes darkened as a horrific thought entered her mind. "Did he_ hurt_ you?"

"No, no. He didn't do anything." Ruby's voice was cracking, thus she coughed to clear her throat. "I sent him away."

"Why? I thought you wanted to hook up with him."

"I did… at first. But something changed my mind."

Belle took a seat next to her best friend. She gave Ruby an expecting look.

"He didn't remember my name, even though we got acquainted five minutes before hand. He called me 'Roxanne', for some Goddamn reason."

Belle snorted, which made Ruby chuckle.

"If I'm going to get with a guy, he should at least know my name." continued Ruby. "Then I thought: 'What's the point?' He can barely remember my name, so he's not going to remember me. Why should I have sex with a guy if it doesn't mean anything? I want to make some memories, but whoever that lucky person is, I want them to have the same amazing memories." She took a drag from her cigarette. "I wanted to change who I was, you know? I wanted to be new. Exciting. Someone who all the guys think are totally hot. But when that became real, I wanted out. I'd rather one person think I'm special, than ten million."

Belle nodded in agreement. She wanted the same thing. She wanted her special someone to see her like she was the only person in the world. Being in such a prized relationship would be perfect.

"The way I see it," Ruby took yet another drag of her cigarette. "love is better than lust. Lusting means craving somebody because of how they perform in the bedroom. Love is loving someone for who they are. Beyond their flaws, beyond their mistakes. Love is what we all want, but can't all have." The last few words caused Ruby's heart to ache, as a frown set on her face.

Belle bit her lip. "You can have love," she told her. "You just haven't found it yet. It takes time."

"No," Ruby stated. She looked deep into Belle's eyes. "I have found it."

Without warning, it was like the world had frozen in time. One minute Ruby's hands were at her side. The next, one hand was on Belle's cheek. Belle felt herself involuntarily stiffen, but everything felt right and mellow when Ruby's lips met hers. It was slow, flawless and perfect. Like the final kiss at the end of those old romance movies, where they live happily ever after. Seconds passed, and Ruby began to pull away. Their foreheads pressed together, they looked into each other's eyes once more. It wasn't wrong. It wasn't a mistake. Everything felt right. Instantly, they dived back into each other. This kiss was loving, passionate, better than the last. Consequences didn't matter. All that mattered was that they were together.

Though Belle had only just realized her feelings for her best friend, a part of her had known all along. Ruby was her destiny. The rollercoaster of life had just got a whole lot faster and a whole lot better. And Belle definitely didn't want to ride to end.


	6. Chapter 6: Fighting Fire With Fire

**A/N: Sorry, this chapter's a little rushed and short. But I finally got myself to note down how this fic is going to end. The fic is 12 chapters long, not including an epilogue that will either be at the end of the last chapter, or be made into a new chapter. I really like how it ends, and hopefully, you readers will too.**

* * *

By the time Mulan had finally spotted Aurora amongst the crowd, both were utterly smashed. Aurora was raving on the dance floor, seemingly unaware that most people at the side were watching and laughing at her. People that were making fun of her usually enraged Aurora, but now, she was too distracted by the song to pay any attention to them. At that moment, it seemed like Aurora was in her own little world, as if nothing or nobody could bother her. Things took a sudden turn when she purposefully shoved hard into a random girl, who was dancing next to her.

The girl stumbled, and yelled at Aurora. From the distance, Mulan couldn't quite hear what the girl was saying, but whatever it was, it was certainly abuse. Defensive, Aurora shouted abuse back. In less than no time, the girls were up in each other's faces, threatening each other. Aurora snatched at a large chunk of the girl's blonde hair, and tugged it violently. The girl shrieked in agony. With that, Mulan jumped from her seat, and ran towards them.

"Stop!" cried Mulan. Forcefully, she pushed Aurora away from the girl, the grip being released from the chunk of hair. "God, Aurora, calm down." She turned to the girl whose hand was weakly placed at the tugged hair. "I'm so sorry about this. She gets a little too violent when she's drunk."

But Aurora didn't listen. "You complete _whore!_" she screamed at the girl, her voice so dry that it broke as she spoke.

Livid, the girl continued to shout abuse, only encouraging Aurora to argue with her. Mulan tried her best to push them away from each other, yet the girls refused to step down. A muscular guy who must have been around 6'4 came over. He could have easily been mistaken for a bouncer, but he wore a pair of baggy jeans. His coal black eyes stared directly at Mulan and Aurora. Instantly, Mulan felt threatened, but Aurora didn't even flinch.

"What's going on here?" he said to the girl, the severe look in his eye not fading.

"Just these bitches, Scottie," replied the girl. "Don't worry, I can handle it."

His expression became even darker. Fear struck into Mulan's veins. Aurora remained unfazed.

It was if that he was a predator, and Mulan was his prey. He smelt her fear. And she was terrified. He swung a punch. A blast of unbearable pain seized through the whole of her right cheek. The last thing she felt was her head hitting the ground.

* * *

Reality finally sunk in, and Aurora rushed to Mulan's side. Nothing around her mattered anymore. Not the feeling of power she had had when she fought. Not the girl who she fought with, who was now screaming at her boyfriend between apologies to Aurora. All her attention was on Mulan.

"Mulan?" Tears tumbled down Aurora's cheeks. "Please wake up." But Mulan didn't wake up. A panicked look set upon Aurora's face. She squeezed her best friend's hand. "Please tell me you're ok. Please."

Seeing the crowd that had gathered around the area, a bouncer came over. He escorted the blonde girl and her boyfriend out of the club. The boyfriend tried to fight against the bouncer, passing it off as an accident, but the bouncer was stronger and ignored his pleas. Despite the claims of how it was a mistake, the boyfriend showed little remorse about the situation.

Aurora continued to squeeze the life out of Mulan's hand. "Come on, wake up. I'm begging you."

Someone in the crowd offered to call an ambulance, but at that very second, Mulan's eyes blinked open. With her smile wide, Aurora had never been so relieved. On the other hand, Mulan looked confused more than anything. "Did I die, or something?" asked Mulan, with a genuinely serious look upon her face.

Aurora just laughed. "Just about. Let's excuse ourselves, and let you get checked out, shall we?"

Pushing past the long line of those waiting, Aurora helped Mulan into the restroom. Back when she was unsure what to do as a career, Aurora had studied to be a nurse. First Aid courses hadn't really come in handy since, but this was a golden opportunity.

A barmaid entered. Mulan recognized her as the one who she had ranted to earlier. "Hey, I heard you girls had been in some trouble," the barmaid said. "You ok there, Mulan?"

Mulan chuckled. Judging by her light heartedness, she was clearly a little concussed.

The barmaid smiled. "I'll go get some ice."

"Thank you," said Aurora.

Merely a minute later, the barmaid returned with two ice packs. Aurora thanked her once more, then placed the ice to Mulan's head and cheek.

"My head hurts a lot," said Mulan, when the barmaid had left.

"It will," nodded Aurora. "You hit your head pretty hard."

Sitting on the counter next to a sink, Mulan began to click her tongue. "Do you think if I was hot, people would notice me more?"

"Don't you remember Belle's pep talk on inner beauty? It's not about what you look like that makes people like you. It's about who you are inside that counts."

"Yeah, but what about models? No one gives a shit about what their personality is like. As long as they have the booty, that's all that matters."

Work experience as a makeup artist for runway models had pretty much bummed Aurora out. Everyone around her was so perfect… and then there was her. "We all crave perfection, Mulan. No one achieves it."

"Right. Apart from you."

"_Sorry?_"

"Well, look at you. You're gorgeous. You're funny. Everybody loves you. What more could you possibly want?"

"A _child._" Aurora had to prevent herself from shouting the words, but they still came out harsh. Her eyes filled with tears.

Though still in a haze, Mulan had known she had struck a nerve. Silence devoured the minutes.

Meanwhile, guilt ate away at Aurora. Maybe she shouldn't have lashed out on Mulan like that. After all, it wasn't her fault that she wasn't pregnant.

"I think I've always been in love with you." Mulan finally said. "Ever since we met."

Aurora tensed. Surely this wasn't Mulan talking. It was the alcohol, mixed with the concussion. "Say that again," Aurora said.

"To be honest, when I found out you weren't actually pregnant, there was a part of me that thought we could actually have a happy ending together. But then I remembered; you're straight!" With that, Mulan burst into hysterical, uncontrollable laughter. It was if the words she had said before hand had meant nothing, being a simple passing remark.

Whether the words were true or not was a mystery to Aurora. Deciding to overlook the situation, Aurora just shrugged it off. "Come on. Time to go home."


	7. Chapter 7: Apple Of Her Eye

Earlier in the night, Belle had said that she wouldn't actually mind hooking up with a girl. Who knew that said girl would be her best friend?

Frankly, Belle wasn't entirely certain if she meant her lesbian fantasies she had spouted when chatting with Ruby before, or if it was just to impress her. She was indeed drunk, after all, and half the things she said were not to be taken seriously. And she did reveal a lot of nonsense when under the influence.

The pulse of the music inside was still audible where they were crouched. Ruby had shared the cigarette with Belle, and they each took a puff in turn.

"So, does this change everything?" Ruby asked, passing the cigarette to Belle. She concealed her clear concern by attempting to ask casually. "Us… _together._"

Belle bit her lip. She had been too caught up in the moment to consider the fact that the pair of them hooking up left dozens of complications they would have to mend. For example, how they were going to explain it to Aurora and Mulan. Plus, her father, and Ruby's grandmother. It was unlikely that they would be understanding.

"I don't think so," said Belle. She didn't want to focus on the future right now. The present was absolutely perfect, and she didn't want to ruin it by dwelling on the problems they would have to face. "Besides, who cares what other people think? You're all that matters to me."

The cheesy line had seemingly proven well in Ruby's opinion as Belle received a grin and a kiss in return.

"Have I ever told you in a totally yes-homo way how beautiful you are?" said Ruby, changing the subject.

Belle smiled, while feeling her cheeks flush. She exhaled a cloud of smoke, then passed the cigarette to Ruby. "Not even in a no-homo way."

"How ludicrous of me!" exclaimed Ruby. Using long words she didn't really understand while drunk was a habit of hers that never faltered. "By what means could I not have observed your astonishing natural beauty before, and never voice the truth?"

"Ludicrous, indeed," agreed Belle.

Following one last puff, Ruby put out the cigarette. "So, tell me, Belle. Have you ever been in love?"

Belle hesitated. "Once."

"Ah, so you're not the slut who I formerly thought you were."

"Excuse me?"

"You know. Wearing your heart on your sleeve. Banging every guy or gal who's in a ten mile radius."

"Just because I've only been in love once doesn't mean that I'm not that dirty little slut you know and love, Rubes. I don't get attached to my little play things."

"Fair enough. Now tell me: who is this mysterious stranger whom you once kept your oh-so-loving heart with?"

"Well," Belle cleared her throat. "They were the kind of person you'd want to spend your whole life with. Charming, funny, gorgeous. All that jazz. Though, at first, I pushed the feelings away. I didn't want to get attached to them. I was… afraid."

"What were you afraid of?"

"I don't know. I guess I was afraid of messing up. Scared of doing the wrong thing. That us being together would destroy our friendship."

"So, what happened? Did you tell them how you felt?"

"One night we went out in town. We got drunk, had a blast. Made out a few times. And then…"

The anticipation upon Ruby's face was unmistakable. Her interest made Belle chuckle.

"…we ended up sharing a cigarette behind a dumpster."

Ruby blinked. She really had no idea. Though Belle noticed that a part of her looked actually hurt that Belle supposedly had had another person in her life whom had a strong impact on her heart. "What was his name?"

Belle shook her head. "You complete idiot."

"Huh?"

"How many people do you know that make out, and up smoking behind a dumpster?"

"Uh, pretty much all my high school drug addict friends."

Belle rolled her eyes, subsequently giving Ruby a peck on the cheek. Then, she pressed her lips close to Ruby's ear. "You're the only one for me," she whispered softly. "You're the only person I've ever been in love with." 

Realization dawned on Ruby's face as Belle pulled away. In a way, she almost looked relieved. "So, you were talking about me?"

"Well, yeah. Who else makes my heart pump at a thousand beats per minute?"

"You'd really want to spend your whole life with me?" The expression upon Ruby's face resembled a little puppy. Big sad eyes, with a grateful smile.

"I don't see why not. I'm in love with you, Ruby."

The puppy expression remained. Ruby was certain that nobody had made her feel this way before. Belle was the sunshine that she had always needed in her life. Finally, there was an opportunity for true happiness in both their lives.

"What about you, then?" Belle asked. "Have you ever been in love?"

"I thought I was. A couple of times, actually."

"Let me guess. Did they end up being complete arseholes?"

"Sometimes. Other times it was me who messed up. I've cheated before now…"

"Really?"

"It was in high school. I was… in a bad place. At first, I thought it was fun. I felt powerful, and free. But afterwards, I was left to pick up the pieces." Ruby blinked away the tears. "Peter was a good guy, too. He didn't deserve it."

"Peter Wolff?"

"That's the one. I begged for his forgiveness, but he said he would never be able to trust me again. I can't blame him. It's happened to me before, too. Killian cheated on me several times before I ended it. Guess that's karma for you."

There was a minute of silence until Belle gave her a smile and told her some of her usual reassuring words. "We all make mistakes. It was a long time ago. You are not the same person as you were back then. Knowing you have cheated doesn't make me look at you any different than ten minutes ago."

Ruby beamed. Belle truly did make everything better.

A couple more minutes passed until a mischievous thought entered Ruby's mind. "Say," she began. "Do you think there's enough room here to…?" She trailed off. After she winked, Belle knew _exactly _what she was suggesting.

Belle checked the narrow space around them. The space was so limited that even when they hugged their knees it was uncomfortable. "I don't think so," she replied.

Disappointed, Ruby's gaze fell the floor. Seeing this, Belle donned a smirk.

"But I do love a challenge," added Belle.


End file.
